Hattrick IT

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the CEO and founder of a company that builds photobooths. They’re essentially a turnkey business. So, somebody would buy one of our products and they get a fully-fledged business. They can go out, bring the photobooth to events, get paid to be at those events and make money.

What challenge were you trying to address with Hattrick IT?

We brought them in on an existing iOS development project to identify areas of improvement in our code. They were able to remove these issues as well.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They saw a lot of holes in our existing infrastructure so they were able to create a much better framework to improve the platform. They redid how it was integrated with the backend. After that, they were able to focus on building new features

What is the team composition?

Initially one iOS developer, and then it ramped up to two people.

How did you come to work with Hattrick IT?

It was a referral. We brought on a CTO who had worked with Hattrick IT in the past. I trusted him, so that’s who we went with.

What is the status of this engagement?

They started providing service in 2019 and the project is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement? 

They doubled our subscription base. The reason why I love this team is because there were several instances where I gave them a task, and they were willing to tackle that challenge, but they also took a step back and challenged us to make it better. Other agencies I’ve worked with would just do what I told them, and then issues would arise and they would have to fix it, which in turn would rack up our bill.

They take great pride in their work, and they treat our product and company like it’s their own.  

How did Hattrick IT perform from a project management standpoint?

They were able to jump in very quickly. Since hiring them, it felt like they were team members and not just hired hands, primarily because they look at how they can improve the product.

Their communication was fantastic throughout the project. On top of that, they integrated with our culture well. We often communicated over Slack, and they were participating in other discussions outside of the project.

They absolutely responded well, they were clear with us, and they met deadlines. I have no qualms on their project management.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their ability to integrate with our team outside of just development; it really humanizes them. They look at a task at hand and think about the implications, so we saved time in development in the long run. On top of that, their ability to communicate made them really easy to work with.  

Are there any areas they could improve?

That’s a hard question. I really don’t think so.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

Have as many of your guidelines, requests, user stories, and wireframes ahead of time. As far as I know, they don’t have a UI/UX person, so having everything ready to go ahead of time is super important.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the co-founder and CTO of a food industry startup.

For what projects/services did your company hire Hattrick IT?

We needed to extend our engineering team without compromising our budget and code quality in terms of Android and iOS native development. Given the timeline, we couldn't enroll a new engineer, so we decided to hire Hattrick IT as our engineering branch.

What were your goals for this project?

To s improve and maintain our current mobile clients, fix some complicated issues, adopt new features, and run a code health review.

How did you select this vendor?

I found them online. Our lead engineer and I did several interviews with them to make sure they were right for the job.

Describe the project in detail.

We asked them to take a look at both our iOS and Android projects and come back with a list of potential improvements to avoid technical debt, then implement that list. They fixed issues related to the UX in our orders section and related to the Android segmentation.

They also worked on our networking communication layer for Android and implemented analytics for Facebook and Branch.io, as well as a geofences software development kit, Radar.io.

What was the team composition?

We worked with 1–2 engineers depending on the load of work and our requirements.

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Our Android rating went from 4 stars to 4.6.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were very responsive, clear, and, importantly, communicated with us very honestly. We set a list of issues and improvements, then they helped us to figure out the best way to plan each. We used tools such as Asana, Slack, and GitHub to set the workflow, with a phone call with the team each day to make sure everything was on track.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

Their experience and the quality of work impressed me.

Are there any areas for improvement?

They just focus on native mobile development but could expand to different platforms. However, they're honestly experts in their field.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I'm the founder of a tech startup.

What challenge were you trying to address with Hattrick IT?

We were working to coordinate the response to cardiac arrest by way of getting smartwatches to interconnect and record care. We were looking for a company to help us establish interconnectivity between watches.

What was the scope of their involvement?

They developed a strategy to get smartwatches to communicate in real time. We use Firebase to create a game-like situation with WebSockets where the watches interact and are always looking for changes in each other. That allows them to update their status in real time and cut the conventional route of communication–watch, phone, cloud phone–that refreshes every two seconds. The watches update instantly through Firebase as they're looking into the same series of events.

What is the team composition?

We worked with 2–3 developers at different times.

How did you come to work with them?

I was referred to Hattrick. I first approached another vendor with the same challenge, but they were not as nimble as I wanted them to be. Hattrick is very conscientious and nimble, so they're a good fit for me.

How much have you invested with them?

We've spent about $50,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with them in March 2017 and the relationship is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

They designed and developed an entire communications system for a very reasonable cost. I hit most of my milestones on time and I now have a functional MVP, which I didn't have before. They gave me a working prototype, with which I can go out and explore the sales arena. 

How did they perform from a project management standpoint?

They're very approachable and work quickly. They're based in Uruguay, but we've never had any communication issues. We speak daily via Skype and use Trello to stay up-to-date with the project. I'm doing a lot of case scenarios, so we have sprints and I go out to the field to test how the system works. After that, I upload my experiences to Trello and we can see if we need to make any improvements. Also, they stayed within our budget, which is important for a startup.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They're relentless and won't stop until the bugs disappear. They go out of their way to resolve some of the very complex mathematical problems I pose to them. Also, they're flexible and open to exploring alternatives to ensure we have the best solutions. I've enjoyed working with them–they're nice, respectful, and responsible people.

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the CEO of Highly Meditated and I make meditation-based applications.

For what projects/services did your company hire Hattrick IT?

I hired them to rebuild my iOS app and I honestly could not be any happier.

What were your goals for this project?

My goal was to have a complete rebuild of the app. Hattrick was up for the challenge and delivered beyond my expectations.

How did you select this vendor?

I found this vendor through Upwork and selected them after reviewing their previous work. They were passionate about the project and their excitement was inspiring. I interviewed many developers for this project and I feel truly lucky to have found Hattrick.

Describe the project in detail.

The app was completely rebuilt from scratch. My app—Beditations—puts you to sleep and wakes you up with guided meditations. Although it may sound simple, the app performs many complex tasks simultaneously. Hattrick delivered these tasks on an incredibly stable and smooth application.

What was the team composition?

I worked with Gaston Kosut [CTO & Co-Founder, Hattrick IT] and Martin Zuniga [CEO & Co-Founder, Hattrick IT].

What outcomes or results can you share that demonstrate progress and/or success?

I just re-launched my app and noticed the best results in its stability and performance.

How effective was the project management?

I couldn't be happier with the project manager we had. Communication was top-notch from the beginning and I was kept up to date during every step of the development. Unforeseen complications arise from this kind of work but Hattrick was able to solve every problem without affecting deadlines.

What did you find most impressive about this company?

As an art director, I obsess over design and Hattrick recreated my sketches with pixel-perfect precision across all screens. Their attention to detail was astonishing. I’m a 1-person company and they delivered an app that can compete with the biggest companies in my category.

What tips or recommendations do you have?

Hattrick runs at a flawless level and I'm looking forward to a long relationship with them. They were even able to handle and recommend solutions to workflow problems that I hadn't considered.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the founder and CEO of the ZippyAR. We focus on the one-to-one marketing niche. Our technology enables users to stream video messages directly. We're based in Atlanta, Georgia.

What challenge were you trying to address with Hattrick IT?

We were creating mobile apps for our product. I had started Android development with another group, but I wasn’t convinced that they were providing the best quality product. When it came time to develop the iOS app, I started looking for another company and found Hattrick IT.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hattrick IT assigned 4 developers to build the iOS application. It’s being developed for iOS using Swift, with Ruby on Rails for the backend. There were some unique features that they developed into the app. For example, it processes QR and bar codes as well as uses Amazon Web Services on the backend.

How did you come to work with Hattrick IT?

I used Upwork to search for developers and looked at their profiles, the types of projects they’d worked on before, and their reviews. Then, I conducted interviews. Hattrick IT’s professionalism and knowledge around the platform and technology came across during the interview. I could see their integrity and professionalism, which was extremely important to me. Hattrick IT could not only do the job well but knew how to treat intellectual property. The communication was good as well, even though they are based in Uruguay, and my company is in the United States.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Hattrick IT in March 2017 and I plan to continue using them for the next phase.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We are launching the product in early-September; the beta version will be distributed to some people. The app’s performance has been great even in markets where mobile technology isn’t fully available. It can perform even when the network is not at its peak. Hattrick IT’s work has been outstanding in terms of the app’s look and performance.

 How did Hattrick IT perform from a project management standpoint?

We used Slack for team communication. We implemented the Agile Methodology, and used Trello for project management, in order to guide through and identify the requirements for each deployment. I also used some of my documents for designing the scope of the project, with milestones and clear requirements. Hattrick IT has done a very good job of interacting with my procedure and adding to it. They kept me informed about some of the challenges and were upfront when I needed to expedite something for the product showcase. Overall, Hattrick IT has done a very good job, and I want to highlight the fact that, when they were facing a challenge, instead of hiding it, we worked together to solve it.

What did you find most impressive about them?

As a start-up technology company, it was a challenge for us to not only find someone with the capability and knowledge for creating a product, but also a professional with integrity, and who could work with and respect the business. I saw this in Hattrick IT’s leadership from the beginning. They had no hidden agenda and knew what was important for me. In terms of work, they have been great at taking my feedback for the strategy of the product and implementing the solution according to my guidelines.

Are there any areas they could improve?

On one occasion, Hattrick IT didn’t budget well for the work, so there was a small constraint. We were able to work through it, and Hattrick IT owned up to the mistake. There was some communication involved, and it was a learning process for us.

Introduce your business and what you do there

Our organization is TraficoLabs. We have various software brands, including a web and mobile application that makes sports information accessible to soccer fans worldwide. The app has more than 1 million monthly users in web and mobile. This software was developed in collaboration with Hattrick IT.

I am the organization’s founder and director of operations.

What challenge were you trying to address with HattrickIT?

We had a really good experience. We came to them to add new functionalities to the mobile apps in Android and IOS. We had 2 main objectives. Add new functionalities to the app and in secondly, to scale the app while solving some errors or barriers that were not allowing us to scale.

What was the scope of their involvement?

HattrickIT worked on both platforms and it was a very positive experience. They worked really well and met all the deadlines. It was a great collaboration. They used ObjectiveC, Java, and used tools like Fabric to perform stability testing. They also used the rest of the technologies involved in Android and iOS developments.

What is the team dynamic?

Two full time employees were responsible for each platform. One for iOS and the other one for Android. There was also a third person who provided support to the processes. In total, three HattrickIT employees worked on the project.

How did you come to work with HattrickIT?

We found them through a directory of IT development agencies. Initially, we decided to go with them because of Juan, the person who assisted us since the beginning and who gave us a really good feeling. He showed us that he understood the objectives of the project and was aligned with our work methods. From there we proceeded to do a small sprint and this validated the idea that their work was going to offer good value to our company.

How much have you invested with HattrickIT?

The project was around $5,000 and $6,000, approximately.

What is the status of this engagement?

Approximately 5 months in 2016. We stay in touch, not as a job contract, but as a networking support.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

A tangible metric would be what we call ‘fatal errors’, which cause crashes and close the app as the users interact with it. We were seeing 10 types of first-priority fatal errors.  These fatal errors were not existent after we worked with Hattrick IT. This was a tangible metric I can mention.

How did HattrickIT perform from a project management standpoint?

The entire project’s flow was very efficient. They were very responsive and followed up to past communications in a very organized and strict way. We used Skype and e-mail. No other specialized tools.

What did you find most impressive about HattrickIT?

Their efficiency in every development was positive. Every execution was done with a very low error margin. All results were as expected. The good experience we had was based on all of HattrickIT’s developments in general throughout the collaboration.

Are there any areas HattrickIT could improve?

When we stopped working with them, they were in the process of growing. We would have liked to continue working with them. There are no complaints on our end about their team.

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the managing director and founder of Tipple.m, an app on Google Play that helps users find bars and pubs that fit their mood. The app tells them if a bar is within their price range. It also lets them know if a bar is relatively close and how many people are currently there. We make our money by selling that data back to the bars so that they can better target and send push notifications to individual users.

What challenge were you trying to address with Hattrick IT?

I was looking for someone to develop the app.

What was the scope of their involvement?

Hattrick developed our entire technology stack on Android. We used Android Firebase. They helped me build the minimum viable product so I could go to market and test it. Since then, I’ve been using Hattrick to improve the app.

Right now, Hattrick is essentially my IT department. We do most of our work in sprints of 20 hours, and I pay them an hourly rate. That helped me build up the business while keeping up with the development costs. I’ve worked with 2 developers, Juan [COO & Co-Founder, Hattrick IT] and Martin [CEO & Co-Founder, Hattrick IT].

How did you come to work with Hattrick IT?

I found them on Upwork. I felt like they were the best fit because we are a bootstrap organization. I provide all of the money for developing, marketing, and sales.

How much have you invested with them?

We have spent between £5,000 [$6,481] and £10,000 [$12,962] for the app.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in June 2016, and the relationship is ongoing.

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

I’ve done very little marketing on the app, but we’ve gained users organically. We launched the product 6 months ago as an MVP to 30 people. Since then, we’ve increased to 500 users globally.

Hattrick IT gives me high-class service in a timeframe that suits me. Whenever I’ve needed updates or features added, I’ve been able to work with Hattrick to get those completed. Hattrick helps me understand the technology stack. They also assisted with setting up my business email address and finding a website developer and UX [user experience] designer.

How did Hattrick IT perform from a project management standpoint?

They always meet the deadlines we set. We use Trello for project management. We also use an application that allows Hattrick to push out a test development build to me. I can then play around with that to see what works and what doesn’t work. They’ve been able to fix any issues relatively quickly.

What did you find most impressive about them?

When I first started the project, I knew very little about Android development and technology stacks. They’ve held my hand through a lot of it. They listen to all of my all my ideas, but they follow the requirements that I set for them.

At this point, I see Juan as my CTO because he’s been able to help whenever I come up with a unique job specification or product that I want to build. He doesn’t say no; he tries to figure out a way to do things. If it takes longer because of issues with the technology stack or something, they sometimes won’t charge me for those hours. They’re very fair in their chargeback method, and they stay within budget.

Are there any areas they could improve?

There have been times when I’ve had to chase them down, but that’s normal when working with multiple clients.